Spray nozzle

ABSTRACT

An improved airless spray nozzle for spraying a fan or elliptically shaped pattern within which there is a predetermined uneven distribution of sprayed material. The nozzle has an orifice defined by the intersection of a single V-shaped cut through the end of the nozzle into an asymmetrically positioned conically shaped dome in the interior of the nozzle.

United States Patent 1191 I i 1111 3,8

Nord et a1. [4 Oct. 22, 1974 SPRAY NOZZLE 2,683,626 7/1954 Wahlin 239/599 x 2,964,248 12/1960 OBrien et a1. 239/597 X [75] lnvemors- Em N 3 F both 2,971,250 2/1961 Wahlin 239/601 x of Oberlm; Burton} VllagI, 3,101,906 8/1963 Webher 239/601 x Amhe st, a o o 3,702,175 11/1972 Watkins 239/597 x [73] Assigneez Nordson Corporation, Amherst, 3,737,108 6/1973 Stumphauzer ct a1. 239/598 Ohm Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. 1 Filed: July 1 1973 Assistant Examiner-John1. Love [2 App]. NOJ 380 385 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wood, Herron & Evans 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 239/599, 239/601 [51] Int. Cl B05b 1/04 1 "P amass Spray 9 Spraying fan or [58] Field of Search 239/597 598 599 601 elhptically shaped pattern within which there is a predetermined uneven distribution of sprayed material. [56] References Cited The nozzle has an orifice defined by the intersection of a single Vshaped cut through the end of the nozzle UNITED STATES PATENTS into an asymmetrically positioned conically shaped 736,134 8/1903 Murphy 239/597 dome in the interi r of the nozzle 796,027 8/1905 WiltbOld 239/597 X 2,619,388 11/1052 Wahlin 239/597 36 Claims, 19 Drawing gu e SPRAY NOZZLE The invention of this application relates to airless spray nozzles, and more particularly, to an improved nozzleeffective to spray a substantially elliptical pattern of material having a predetermined or a so called tailored" uneven distribution of material within the elliptical pattern.

In general, airless spray nozzles having an elliptical spray pattern within which there is an uneven or tailored distribution of material, so called drumhead or controlled pattern" nozzles, are primarily used for coating the interior of cans, such as beer or beverage cans. These tailored distribution patterns enable stationary nozzles to apply an even coating of material to the interiorsurface of the can. This is not possible with conventional flat fan pattern airless spray nozzles.

A common method of gauging or measuring the distribution of flow from a particular nozzle is to spray a short burst of coating material against an upright, vertical sheet of corrugated paper with the elliptically shaped spray pattern oriented with its long axis horizontal. Corrugated paper is used for this purpose because it eliminates washout or distortion of the true spray pattern caused by the blast from the spray nozzle. The quantity of coating material sprayed on any particular area is reflected by the length of the rivulet in the groove running vertically downward beneath it.

A particular spray nozzle will reflect its own peculiar characteristics when gauged by the above described method. Conventional prior art drumhead nozzles generally have a spray pattern closely akin to that depicted in FIG..1 of the drawings herein; that is, skewed heavily toward and generally on the order of 5 percent to percent of the distance from one end. This distribution pattern contrasts markedly with a conventional prior art flat fan spray nozzle which has an orifice formed symmetrically with respect to the nozzle axis by slashing or grinding a V-shaped notch through a substantially hemispherical dome down to about the base circle" of the dome. That flat fan spray nozzle generates a smoothly distributed, normally curved, symmetrical spray pattern having maximum flow in the middle with gradually diminishing flows tapering or feathering from the middle to the ends of the pattern. Such a normally distributed flat fan spray pattern is depicted in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

Prior art controlled pattern nozzles generally have a spray distribution pattern similar to that depicted in FIG. 3 of the drawings in which the point of maximum flow of material is located adjacent one end of the pat tern; generally 70 to 85 percent of the distance from one end and 30 to percent from the other, the material flowing in the rest of the pattern from the point of maximum concentration of material to the end tapering smoothly and substantially linearally from the point of maximum runoff. The distribution pattern depicted in FIG. 3 is that of a 75-25 percent controlled pattern nozzle.

Commercial metal cans are made of either two or three pieces. In each case, one piece is applied in a final operation to close and seal the can after it has been filled with food or beverage. The other part of a two piece can is generally a deep drawn cylinder with a closed end. Three piece cans, so called, comprise open ended cylindrical body shells with separate top and bottom end discs.

All beverage and some food cans are interiorly coated after formation of the can body so as to prevent metal from going into solution in the can contents and to prevent the contents of the can from attacking the metal of the can. In the case of a two piece can, one interior end surface is coated simultaneously with the coating of the interior surface of the can body. In the case of a three piece can, the ends are generally separately coated and the double open ended cylinder is interiorly coated prior to application of either end closure.

Both drumhead and controlled pattern nozzles are commonly used to apply sprayed coatingmaterial to the interior of a two piece can when thenozzle' is fixedly oriented as depicted in H0. 4 with respect to the rotating can. With the nozzle so oriented, the point of maximum flow of coating material is directed axially for the length of the can and the. fan-shaped pattern is directed toward the radius of the can-bottom and one longitudinal line of the sidewall from the bottom to the v longitudinally elongated contact with the interior of the rotating can. In this setup for spraying can bodies, the light portion of the elliptically shaped pattern is sprayed into the end closest to the nozzle from which the spray originates and the heavy concentrated portion of the patterns meet or slightly overlap each other at the furthest point from the nozzle. This setup and orientation of dual nozzles for spraying bodies achieves a relatively uniform coating over all areas of the can in terior and minimizes overspray" or wasted material passing out of the open ends of the can.

In general, the drumhead and the controlled pattern nozzles of the prior art have been effective for spraying and obtaining an even distribution of coating material over the interior surface of cans when used in the manner depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. A problemhas been encountered though in reliably and repeatedly manufacturing nozzles having identical spray patterns from one nozzle to the next.

Conventional prior art methods for manufacturing or producing both drumhead and several different modifications of controlled pattern nozzles are fully disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,640,758 and US. Pat. No.

v 3,697,313, both of which are assigned to the assignee of this application. Other methods for generating or producing controlled pattern nozzles have been discovered which are in reality variations of the method disclosed in these patents, but these methods all involve either two or five cuts of a grinding wheel into the dome of the nozzle to generate a particular size and shape orifice. Because those orifices are very small and must be cut very accurately, conventional manufacturing techniques, using the number of cuts have resulted in an unacceptably high rejection rate of unacceptable nozzles.

It has therefore been one objective of this invention to provide a more efficient repeatable and reliable method of manufacturing controlled pattern nozzles or nozzles which have a predetermined or tailored uneven distribution spray pattern.

Another objective of this invention has been to provide an improved spray nozzle which facilitates and enables nozzles havingpredetermined or tailored uneven cuts with a grinding wheel in a very small workpiece so as to generate a very small orifice having very close tolerances.

Therefore, it has been another object of this invention to provide a new nozzle configuration and a new method of manufacturing a nozzle which results in the manufacture of a controlled pattern nozzle or a nozzle havinga predetermined uneven distribution spray pattern while machining only a single cut from the nozzle blank. Otherwise expressed, it has been an objective of this invention to provide a new nozzle design and a new method of manufacturing a controlled pattern nozzle or a nozzle having-the spray configuration of the prior art controlled pattern nozzles or drumhead nozzles with a nozzle having the desired orifice generated by a single pass of a grinding wheel.

The nozzle which accomplishes these objectives and which enables a single cutting pass to generate an orifice having the desired configuration has a central flow passage which terminates in a conical shaped dome asymmetrically positioned in the nozzle relative to the axis of symmetry. When this asymmetrically positioned, conically shaped dome is intersected by a grinding wheel cut it results in the generation of an asymmetrical orifice. Any number of differently configurated orifices having differing spray patterns may be generated from this same blank by varying the angle of inclination of the grinding wheel cut relative to the blank axis and/or the grinding wheel configuration and depth of cut.

to be manufactured less expensively than has heretofore been possible because it eliminates most of the variability generated by prior art manufacturing practices. In other words, it enables nozzles to be repeatedly manufactured within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. These and other objects, advantages, and discoveries incorporated into the invention of this application will be more readiy apparent from the following description of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a typical distribution spray pattern obtained from a drumhead nozzle.

FIG. 2 is a typical distribution spray pattern obtained from a flat fan spray nozzle.

FIG. 3 is a typical distribution pattern obtained from a controlled pattern nozzle.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical setup for spraying the interior of a two-piece can from a single stationary nozzle.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical setup for spraying the interior of a three-piece can body from a pair of opposed stationary nozzles.

' FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of a conventional drumhead nozzle.

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of one form of conventional prior art controlled pattern nozzle.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle blank employed in the manufacture of the controlled pattern nozzle which is the subject of the invention of this application.

FIG. 9 is a rear end elevational view of the nozzle blank of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle blank depicted in FIG. 8 partially rotated prior to cutting and itillustrates the nozzle after the generation of one preferred form of orifice in the blank.

FIG. 10a is a view identical to FIG. 10. but with the nozzle rotated from the position in FIG. 10.

FIG. 10b is a diagrammatic illustration of the orientation of a grinding wheel relative to the axis of the dome of the nozzle approach passage utilized to generate the nozzle orifice of FIG. 10. p

FIG. 11 is a front end elevational view of the nozzle orifice of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a distribution spray pattern obtained from the nozzle of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle blank of FIG. 8, except that it depicts the nozzle after the generation of a second preferred form of orifice in the blank.

FIG. 13a is a view identical to FIG. 13, except that the nozzle is rotated 90 from the position of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13b is a diagrammatic illustration of the orientation of a grinding wheel relative to the axis of the dome of the nozzle approach passage utilized to generate the nozzle of FIG. 13.

FIG. 14 is a front end elevational view of the nozzle orifice of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a distribution spray pattern obtained from the nozzle of FIG. 13.

Referring first to FIGS. 4 and 5, two different setups for coating cans have been illustrated as typical of commercial setups which employ airless spray nozzles of the type which are the subject of this invention. Both setups are old and well known in the prior art, but they have been illustrated and included herein in order to facilitate a description of a typical use for the inventive nozzle of this invention.

The setup illustrated in FIG. 4 is completely described in Stumphauzer et al U.S. Pat. No. 3.697313 I and the setup illustrated in FIG. 5 is completely and described in I-Iogstrom et a1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,758. Both of these patents are assigned to the assignee of this application.

Considering first the setup illustrated in FIG. 4 for coating a typical two piece can C to which one end 7 has previously been applied, this setup requires that the can C be rotated while a spray pattern of coating material is directed onto the interior surface of the can. The apparatus for rotating the can, as well as for sequentially indexing cans past the stationary nozzle is well known and is completely described in the former of the two above identified patents.

In general, either a drumhead nozzle having the spray pattern depicted in FIG. 1, or a controlled pattern nozzle having the spray pattern depicted in FIG. 3, is conventionally used in the practice of spraying cans having only one open end. Both of these nozzles are characterized by the fact that they spray a generally elliptically shaped pattern of material having an uneven distribution of material wwthin the pattern. In the case of a drumhead nozzle the heaviest flow is located very close to one end of the pattern, while in the case of a socalled controlled pattern nozzle, the heaviest flow is generally located toward one end, but is spaced a greater distance from the end than in the case of a drumhead nozzle. The closeness or proximity of the heavy flow point to one end is generally determined by the configuration of the nozzle orifice from which the spray is ejected.

In the setup depicted in FIG. 4, one spray nozzle mounted in a nozzle adapter NA is fixedly positioned to spray into the open end of the can with the axis 11 of the nozzle positioned at an angle e measured vertically with respect to the horizontal plane S of the axis of the rotating can body. The nozzle orifice is located a distance 18 from the open end of the can about that distance above the horizontal plane S through the axis of the can. The line 6 of maximum flow in the spray fan or elliptical spray pattern is intended to be directed at the circle of intersection between the closed end 7 of the can and its cylindrical side 8. The wide portion W of the fan is directed along the side of the can body, while the narrow part N is directed toward the closed end 7 of the can. The width and direction of the fanshaped pattern from the nozzle orifice is such that the outside edge 9 of the narrow portion N of the spray fan is directed at the center of the circular bottom or closed end 7 of the can, and the opposite edge of the fan is directed at or very slightly outside the edge 16 of the open end of the can.

This orientation of the distribution pattern of the spray nozzle is ideally matched to the areas and proportions of the internal surfaces of the can to be coated. The wide part W of the fan spray falling between the open edge 16 of the can and the closed bottom end 7, provides a uniform coating on the sidewall 8, all portions of which are rotating at the same lineal speed. The narrow portion N of the spray fan decreases from a maximum flow along the line 6 .to a minimum desirable flow at the outer edge 9 of the spray fan which is directed at or slightly beyond" the dead center of the circular closure end 7. The amount of coating material applied to the can end 7 is greater at the places further from the center so that the amount of coating material decreases with the decreasing radius of can end 7 to the dead center.

This method of spraying a two piece can from a single stationary nozzle permits a matching of the spray pattern to the shape and dimensions of the interior of the can. As the length to diameter ratio varies with different can configurations the theoretical optimal distribution of coating material will vary accordingly, but it can be matched to the can configuration to obtain an optimal uniform coating of material over the complete interior surface of the can body.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a pre ferred setup for spraying a body 10 of a three piece can by means of a pair of conventional drumhead nozzles mounted in adapters l2 and 13, having axes 12a and 13a respectively. The nozzles are positioned similarly at opposite ends of the can and have their axes 12a and 13a inclined at an angle i measured vertically with respect to a horizontal plane through the axis of the can body. The nozzles are so positioned that the narrow portion N of the fans slightly overlap and preferably impinge upon each other over the entire width, while the wide portion W of the fans are directed at or slightly outside the edge of the can.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is illustrated an end view of a priorart drumhead nozzle suitable for obtaining the spray pattern of FIG. 1. This nozzle has an orifice O that is widest at one end 32 to'produce the point of maximum output in the fan and tapers to the narrowest point 33 corresponding to the point of minimum output in the spray fan.

In FIG. 7 there is depicted an end view of a prior art controlled pattern nozzle suitable for obtaining the distribution pattern depicted in FIG. 3. This nozzle'has a generally tulip shaped or heart shaped orifice O' slashed or cut in the top of a generally hemispherical hollow dome by two cuts of a rotary grinding wheel. The method of cutting the nozzle orifice 0" of FIG. 7 is completely described in the above identified US. Pat. No. 3,697,313, as are numerous other setups for achieving variations and modifications of nozzle orifices and controlled pattern nozzles.

In general, the manufacture of either a drumhead or a controlled pattern nozzle has, prior to this invention, required a series of cuts with a single wheel in order to define an orifice having the desired complex configuration required to spray an uneven distribution pattern. The number of cuts has generally been either two or five, but invariably it has been difficult to maintain consistency in machining multiple identical products because of manufacturing problems which attend making multiple, accurately positioned cuts in very small workpieces.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is illustrated the novel nozzle blank utilized in the practice of the invention of this application. In general, this nozzle blank 50 is made from sintered carbide, although it may be made from other hard, wear resistant materials, and has a cylindrical rear section 51, a peripheral flange section 52, a spherical sector end section 5 3, and a tapered section 54 interconnecting the spherical sector end section 53 to the flange section 52. In practice, the cylindrical section 51 fits within and is brazed to a seat of a conventional nozzle adapter. Except for the utility of the cylindrical section 51 and the flange 52 in facilitating mounting the nozzle in an adapter, the peripheral shape of the rear section 51 and the flange 52 is not critical to the invention.

The interior of the nozzle blank is hollow and includes an approach passage 49 which terminates in a blind end dome 55 The approach passage 49 comprises a frustoconical section 56 having a flat 57 on one side, a cylindrical section 58, and the conical dome section 55. The frustoconical section 56 and the cylindrical section 58 are both coaxially aligned with the axis X of the nozzle blank, but the conical dome section 55 is asymmetrically positioned relative to the axis X. The apex of the cone-shaped dome is offset a distance D from the axis X. In the preferred embodiment, the cone-shaped asymmetrical dome of the passage defines an included angle d of and the axis Y of the cone intersects and defines an angle b of 30 with the axis X of the nozzle.

Referring now to FIG. 9, it will be seen that the cylindrical section 58 of the passage is the same radius as the distance Z from the center of the flat surface 57 to the axis X of the nozzle. The frustoconical section 56 is so sized that it is of the same radius at its innermost end as the radius of the cylindrical section 58, so that the two sections 56 and 58 intersect in a circular line of intersection 60 in the plane 62. The asymmetrically positioned conical section 55 is so sized that it intersects the cylindrical section 58 in a curved line of intersection63. It will also be noted that the apex 65 of the conically shaped dome section 55 is located in a plane '68 (FIG. 9) normal to the plane of the fiat surface 57. This orientation of the apex 65 of the dome relative to'the flat surface in the passage 57 enables the asymmetrically configurated dome section 55 of the nozzle blank to be positioned in a predetermined location during machining or grinding of a slash cut through the spherical end sector 53 of the nozzle blank, as is explained more fully hereinafter.

In practice, the nozzle blank of FIGS. 8 and 9 is manufactured from sintered carbide by placing the carbide powder in a hollow mold having an axial pin configured in the shape of the passage 49. The sintered material is compressed within the mold to generate the shape of FIGS. 8 and 9 and is subsequently sintered to form the nozzle into a solid carbide element. Although the nozzle blank is described as being manufactured from sintered carbide, it is to be understood that it may also be made from other hard materials such as ceramics.

Referring now to FIGS. 10, 10a, 10b and 11, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of nozzle 69 manufactured from the nozzle blank 50 of FIGS. 8 and 9.

This nozzle has a single slash cut 73 machined into it so as to generate a nozzle orifice which emits the spray pattern of FIG. 12. As may be seen in FIG. 12, this pattern is very similar to that conventionally sprayed by a drumhead nozzle in that it has the point of maximum flow located closely adjacent (11% of the length of the pattern) one end of the elliptical pattern.

,As may be seen most clearly in FIG. 11, the orifice 70 which generates the spray pattern of FIG. 12 is smoothly tapered and has rounded ends 71, 72. In one preferred embodiment, this orifice 70 is .0l 1 inches in width at its widest point 74 and is .036 inches in length. The narrow end of the orifice has a width of approximately .002 inches and a radius of approximately .00] inches.

The orifice 70 is machined by adiamond charged grinding wheel which is tapered at its peripheral edge to define an included angle of 40. In machining this embodiment, the grinding wheel is fed inwardly until the peripheral edge of the grinding wheel as demarked by the cut line 22 intersects or nearly intersects the end of the conical surface 63 of the conical dome 55 of the nozzle. The grinding wheel out line 22 is illustrated in FIG. 10a as a straight line because a three inch diameter grinding wheel cutting an orifice .036 inches in length ahs a substantially straight line 22 for the bottom of the cut even if, as in this preferred embodiment, the bodily movement of the center of the grinding wheel advances the wheel only along the wheel radius.

In machining the slash cut 73 from the outer spherical segment shaped portion of the nozzle, the radius of the grinding wheel is colinearly aligned with the axis X of the nozzle blank, but in this preferred embodiment the grinding wheel is rotated as illustrated in FIG. 10b until the plane 75 of the grinding wheel (a plane normal to the axis of rotation of the wheel) is offset 20 from a plane 76 through the,apex 65 of the dome 55 and the axis X of the nozzle. This inclined tapered gash through the conically shaped hollow dome of the nozzle results in the generation of the orifice 70 depicted in FIG. 11. That orifice in the preferred embodiment of the invention has a flow rate of 209 grams per minute of water at 40 pounds per square inch pressure. It produces the spray pattern depicted in FIG. 12 in which the point of maximum flow of material from the orifice is located ll percent of the distance from one end of the generally elliptically shaped pattern 78 and 89 percent of the distance from the other end. From the point of maximum flow 79 to the ends 80, 81 of the pattern, the flow generally decreases linearly as indicated by the dotted lines 82, 83 of FlG.'l2.

Referring now to FIGS. 13, 13a, 13b and 14, there is illustrated a second preferred embodiment of a nozzle 100 manufactured from the nozzle blank 50 of FIGS. 8 and 9. This nozzle generates the distribution flow pattern depicted in FIG. 15. The longest run is shown to produce a -75 percent distribution pattern. This enables the pattern to be utilized to direct the heavy portion of the spray fan to a particular area of the can, as for example, the intersection of the sidewall and the end of the cylindrical body.

Referring again to FIGS. 13, 13a, 13b and 14, it will be seen that the nozzle depicted in these figures which gives this flow pattern is machined with the same 40 tapered edge grinding wheel as was employed in the cutting of the nozzle 69 depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11. In this modification, though, the plane 101 of the grinding wheel (i.e., the plane through the wheel and normal to the axis of rotation of the wheel) is located in the same plane 101 as that defined by the axis X of the noz zle blank and the apex 65 of the cone. In this modification, as in the modification depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11, the cutting wheel is fed into the spherical sector portion 53 of the nozzle blank 50 to a depth at which the peripheral edge (demarked by the cut line 22') of the wheel more fully intersects the base 63 of the conical dome 55. As may be seen most clearly in FIG. 14, the resulting generally tapered orifice 105 has rounded ends 106 and 107. In one preferred embodiment of the nozzle 100, the orifice 105 had a maximum width of .0105 inches and a length of .037 inches. This orifice is characterized by a flow rate of 215.2 grams per minute of water at 40 pounds per square inch.

One of the characteristics of both of the nozzles described hereinabove is that the concentrated or heavy portion of the flow pattern emerges from the narrow end section of the nozzle orifice. In other words, with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the heavy flow end N" of the pattern (the end with the greater flow) was sprayed from the narrow end 106 of the orifice. Similarly with reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the heavy or concentrated end N' of the flow pattern was sprayed from the narrow end 71 of the nozzle orifice. This peculiar flow characteristic of the greater flow originating from the narrow end of a tapered orifice is a characteristic of all nozzles which we have machined from the nozzle blank 50 of FIGS. 8 and 9.

Another unusual characteristic of nozzles made from the blank of FIGS. 8 and 9 is that at the same time that the heavy portion of the pattern appeared on the narrow cut side of the nozzle, the center line Q (FIG. 13a) of the spray fan shifted or was deflected to the wide cut side of the nozzle.

We have described only two preferred embodiments of nozzles machined from the nozzle blank of FIGS. 8 and 9. Numerous other spray patterns have been achieved by means of nozzles cut from the blanks of FIGS. 8 and 9 by wheels of varying tapered edge angles, by varying the orientation or angulation of the axis X of the nozzle to the line 2-2 defined by the peripheral edge of the grinding wheel, by cutting to differing depths with the grinding wheels and by varying combinations of these variable conditions. Similarly, rotation of the plane thorugh the apex 65 of the conical blank and the axis of the nozzle relative to the plane of a cutting wheel generates varying shapes of orifices effective to spray different variations of the unevenly distributed elliptically shaped spray pattern.

The primary advantage of the invention of this application is that it enables a predetermined spray pattern to be consistently sprayed from a production nozzle with a minimum of scrap nozzles generated in the manufacturing process. Prior to this invention, it was particularly difficult to obtain consistent results between different nozzles manufactured under production conditions, primarily because of the difficulty of accurately orienting each one of multiple cuts relative to the other cuts while cutting very small, complex shapes.

While we have described only two preferred modifications of nozzles cut from a single preferred embodiment of nozzle blank, persons skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate that differing configuration nozzle blanks embodying the novel features of the nozzle and/or differing slash cuts machined into the nozzle blank may be utilized to generate particular uneven distribution spray patterns. Therefore, we do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the following appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A spray nozzle for spraying a pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern, said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having generally smooth gradations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern, said nozzle comprising a body having a central axis, an approach passage and a domed blind end in the passage, said domed blind end of said passage being positioned asymmetrically relative to said central axis, said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end being intersected by a single slash cut through said nozzle body to define an orifice having cusped places of minimum opening at the ends thereof and a maximum opening located nearer to one of said ends than to the other end.

2. The spray nozzle of claim 1 in which said domed blind end of said nozzle passage has a generally conically shaped section.

3. The spray nozzle of claim l in which said domed blind end of said nozzle passage is generally conically shaped and in which said slash cut is located in a plane defined by said central axis and an axis of said dome.

4. The spray nozzle of claim l in which said domed blind end of said nozzle passage is generally conically shaped and in which said slash cut is located in a first plane which intersects at an acute angle a second plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said dome.

5. The spray nozzle of claim 1 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle.

6. The spray nozzle of claim 5 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle, said cylindrical section being locatedbetween said frustoconical section and said domed blind end.

7. The spray nozzle of claim 5 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.

8. The spray nozzle ofclaim l in. which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.

9. The spray nozzle ofclaim 2 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.

10. The spray nozzle of claim 9 in. which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.

11. The spray nozzle of claim 9 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof. 7

12. The spray nozzle of claim 2 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical secton coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.

13. The spray nozzle of claim 3 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.

14. The spray nozzle of claim 13 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.

15. The spray nozzle of claim 13 in which said frustoconical section of this approach passage has a fiat surface on one side thereof.

16. The spray nozzle of claim 3 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.

17. The spray nozzle of claim 4 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.

18. The spray nozzle of claim 17 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.

19. The spray nozzle of claim 17 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.

20. The spray nozzle of claim 4 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical sec tion intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.

21. A spray nozzle for spraying a pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern, said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having generally smooth gradations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern, said nozzle comprising a body having a central axis, an approach passage and a generally conically shaped, doomed blind end at the end of said approach passage, said conically shaped domed blind end being positioned asymmetrically relative to said central axis, said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end being intersected by at least one slashed cut through said nozzle body to define an orifice at the intersection of said domed blind end and said cut, said orifice having cusped places of minimumopening at the ends thereof, and a maximum opening spaced closer to one of said ends than to the other.

22. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which 'said conically shaped blind end of said passage has an axis which intersects said central axis of said body at an actue angle.

23. A spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said cut is located in a plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said concially shaped domed blind end of said passage.

24. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said slash cut is located in a first plane which intersects an acute angle a second plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said concially shaped domed blind end of said passage.

25. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.

26. The spray nozzle of claim 25 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.

27. The spray nozzle of claim 25 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.

28. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.

29. The spray nozzle of claim 28 in which said conically shaped blind end of said passage has an axis which intersects said central axis of said body at an acute angle.

30. The spray nozzle of claim 22 in which said slash cut is located in a first plane which intersects at an acute angle a second plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said domed blind end of said passage.

31. The spray nozzle of claim 22 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.

32. The spray nozzle of claim 31 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said, nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end.

33. The spray nozzle of claim 31 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.

34. The spray nozzle of claim 22 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.

35. A spray nozzle for spraying the pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern, said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having generally smooth gradiations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern,

said nozzle comprising a hollow body having a central axis and domed blind end,

said domed blind end being intersected by at least one slashed cut through said nozzle to define an orifice at the intersection of said domed blind end and said cut,

said nozzle having an approach passage leading into said domed blind end, which approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the axis of said nozzle,

said frustoconical section having a flat surface on one side thereof.

36. A spray nozzle for spraying a pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern,

said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having. generally smooth graduations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern,

said nozzle comprising a hollow body having a central axis and a domed blind end,

said domed blind end being intersected by at least one slashed cut through said nozzle to define an orifice at the intersection of said domed blind end and said cut,

said nozzle having an approach passage leading into said domedblind end, said approach passage having a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle, said approach passage converging toward said domed blind end,

said approach passage also having a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end, said frustoconical section of said approach passage having a flat surface on one side thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,843,055 Dated CCP EI. 22 1974 Inventor(s )EriC T. Nord; Alvin A. Rood; Righard A. Horvath;

Burton J. Vilagi It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Add Richard A. Horvath as la joint inventor Col. 3 line 13 "object" should be --objective--- Col. 4 lide 46, delete "1" before the phrase "and the: setup" Col, 4 line 46 insert --illustratedafter "completely" Col. 4 line 66 "wwthin" should be ---within-- Col. 7 line 52 "ahs" should be --has-- Col. 9 line 8 thorugh" should be --through-- C01. 11 line 23 (Claim 22) "actue" should be -ecute-- Col. ll line 30 (Claimlh) after "intersects" iusert --at-- Signed'and sealed this 1 4th day of January 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M; GIBSON JR. c; MARSHALL DANN- Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents po'wso uscomwoc scan-p09 t ".5. covnuuznf IIINVYI'NG Mncz: nu o-an-an 

1. A spray nozzle for spraying a pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern, said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having generally smooth gradations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern, said nozzle comprising a body having a central axis, an approach passage and a domed blind end in the passage, said domed blind end of said passage being positioned asymmetrically relative to said central axis, said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end being intersected by a single slash cut through said nozzle body to define an orifice having cusped places of minimum opening at the ends thereof and a maximum opening located nearer to one of said ends than to the other end.
 2. The spray nozzle of claim 1 in which said domed blind end of said nozzle passage has a generally conically shaped section.
 3. The spray nozzle of claim 1 in which said domed blind end of said nozzle passage is generally conically shaped and in which said slasH cut is located in a plane defined by said central axis and an axis of said dome.
 4. The spray nozzle of claim 1 in which said domed blind end of said nozzle passage is generally conically shaped and in which said slash cut is located in a first plane which intersects at an acute angle a second plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said dome.
 5. The spray nozzle of claim 1 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle.
 6. The spray nozzle of claim 5 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end.
 7. The spray nozzle of claim 5 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.
 8. The spray nozzle of claim 1 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.
 9. The spray nozzle of claim 2 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.
 10. The spray nozzle of claim 9 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.
 11. The spray nozzle of claim 9 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.
 12. The spray nozzle of claim 2 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical secton coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.
 13. The spray nozzle of claim 3 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.
 14. The spray nozzle of claim 13 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.
 15. The spray nozzle of claim 13 in which said frustoconical section of this approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.
 16. The spray nozzle of claim 3 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.
 17. The spray nozzle of claim 4 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.
 18. The spray nozzle of claim 17 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.
 19. The spray nozzle of claim 17 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.
 20. The spray nozzle of claim 4 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.
 21. A spray nozzle for spraying a pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern, said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having generally smooth gradations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern, said nozzle comprising a body having a central Axis, an approach passage and a generally conically shaped, domed blind end at the end of said approach passage, said conically shaped domed blind end being positioned asymmetrically relative to said central axis, said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end being intersected by at least one slashed cut through said nozzle body to define an orifice at the intersection of said domed blind end and said cut, said orifice having cusped places of minimum opening at the ends thereof, and a maximum opening spaced closer to one of said ends than to the other.
 22. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said conically shaped blind end of said passage has an axis which intersects said central axis of said body at an actue angle.
 23. A spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said cut is located in a plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said concially shaped domed blind end of said passage.
 24. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said slash cut is located in a first plane which intersects an acute angle a second plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said concially shaped domed blind end of said passage.
 25. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.
 26. The spray nozzle of claim 25 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end of said approach passage.
 27. The spray nozzle of claim 25 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.
 28. The spray nozzle of claim 21 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.
 29. The spray nozzle of claim 28 in which said conically shaped blind end of said passage has an axis which intersects said central axis of said body at an acute angle.
 30. The spray nozzle of claim 22 in which said slash cut is located in a first plane which intersects at an acute angle a second plane defined by said central axis and the apex of said domed blind end of said passage.
 31. The spray nozzle of claim 22 in which said approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body.
 32. The spray nozzle of claim 31 in which said approach passage also has a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end.
 33. The spray nozzle of claim 31 in which said frustoconical section of said approach passage has a flat surface on one side thereof.
 34. The spray nozzle of claim 22 in which said approach passage has a cylindrical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle body, said cylindrical section intersecting and forming a continuation of said asymmetrically positioned domed blind end of said nozzle passage.
 35. A spray nozzle for spraying the pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern, said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having generally smooth gradiations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern, said nozzle comprising a hollow body having a central axis and domed blind end, said domed blind end being intersected by at least one slashed cut through said nozzle to define an orifice at the intersection of said domed blind end and said cut, said nozzle having an approach passage leading into said domed blind end, which approach passage has a frustoconical section coaxial with the axis of said nozzle, said frustoconical section having a flat surface on one side thereof.
 36. A spray nozzle for Spraying a pattern with an uneven distribution of material throughout the pattern, said pattern having a site of maximum flow located a distance spaced from the middle of the pattern and having generally smooth graduations of flow from said site of maximum flow to the ends of the pattern, said nozzle comprising a hollow body having a central axis and a domed blind end, said domed blind end being intersected by at least one slashed cut through said nozzle to define an orifice at the intersection of said domed blind end and said cut, said nozzle having an approach passage leading into said domed blind end, said approach passage having a frustoconical section coaxial with the central axis of said nozzle, said approach passage converging toward said domed blind end, said approach passage also having a cylindrical section coaxial with said central axis of said nozzle, said cylindrical section being located between said frustoconical section and said domed blind end, said frustoconical section of said approach passage having a flat surface on one side thereof. 